By: Diane Benjamin
H/T a reader
West Washington, across from the Government Center in downtown Bloomington:
Does this sign apply?
Or this sign?
Can you park for 2 hours or not?
The signs are within feet of each other:
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I suggest parking by the green sign, taking a picture of your vehicle and sign, and saving it in case you get a ticket. Neither sign looks temporary for the downtown construction.
The reader just wanted to pay real estate taxes. Parking is available in the parking lot to the east of the Government Center for business there. It’s probably safer for a quick trip.
Maybe when Bloomington explains the signs, they can say why the group turning the old State Farm Building into housing got this check: PDF page 144 https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/32583/639148886145330000
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These are the only incentives I was able to find:
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Current TIF balances aren’t available because they are only revealed once a year. As of 4/30/25, the Downtown TIF had no money: https://files.illinoiscomptroller.gov/LocGovTIF/FY2025/06402530/25TIF06402530Downtown_1.pdf
Bloomington had 4 TIF districts at the end of the last fiscal year. Only the Empire Street Corridor TIF had any money. The three downtown area Bloomington TIF’s didn’t.
Geez I wish families and seniors could get these sweetheart deals and tax breaks.
Oh well. I guess only the rich and politically connected are given special benefits that are not available to people that are actually struggling under the oppressive, multilayer tax burdens of living in Mclean county.
@Doge
Kinda goes hand in hand with the luxury apartments, doesn’t it? These people want so badly to feel like they’re important, all at the expense of the plebs.
“the rich get richer and the poorer gets poorer” If only we had Mamdani here, his persistence on CHANGE is what every politician needs. Y’all don’t gotta agree with him, but he did some good things.
He’s already canceled all campaign promises and balanced the budget by suspending pension payments
That’s tragic, you don’t have to come to Bloomington, you live in Ellsworth 🙂
I don’t
You don’t live in Ellsworth? I saw a document for a PAC review that you sent in 2017 that listed you with an Ellsworth address. I have the decency of not sharing that document with your address listed. If you moved, that’s my bad… but a little interesting to report on Bloomington news while you were/are living in another town.
I live in the country, not in Ellsworth.
@ Student
Who gives a rat’s rear end where she lives? Freedom of speech isn’t restricted by region. But sure thing. Let’s let government waste more money putting up confusing signs about rules that they have no intention of enforcing anyway.
Way to prove beyond any doubt that you’re a child.
there’s no reason to get rage baited from a message that’s not directed towards you. People can speak about whatever they want (unless their speech is clear and present danger), I’m pointing out that Diane doesn’t live in Bloomington (to my knowledge) and if she doesn’t like the shitty parking, she don’t gotta park there. “Way to prove beyond any doubt that you’re a child.” Why do I need to prove I am a child to you? That’s a little predatory ngl.
Are you dense or something? You admit that you’re a child. Stop being ridiculous. Your speech proves that you’re a child. And it also proves how wet behind the ears you are. No one is rage baited, child. Get over yourself and stop trying to “gotcha” people. No one really cares, and those of us who seem to care only want to clown you. Speak all you want, kid, and I’ll keep pointing and laughing at you, since that’s my right too.
P.S. – The only predatory behavior is stalking an older lady and worrying about where she lives. Why do you care so much about where Diane lives? Does she need to alert the police about a possible stalker?
If no one really cares, then why are you so pressed about it. You can disagree, but you don’t have to explode through comments on a forum. That’s really insecure of you to start pointing and laughing at a ‘child’ because you have different opinions.
To quote Diane (w/o an actual pulled quote) it’s all public information, she did leak actual addresses of other people who have children at their home, and name dropped the adults there. Some people went to one of the person’s homes and harassed them. I never said the address, and she denied that she lived in Ellsworth. You’re the only one making it look like I give such a big deal about Diane that I’m trying to get her address to do something. Absolutely diabolical.
You are funny
In a good way or bad way?
Didn’t you once claim socialism is good?
I’m not sure, I don’t remember. This past week was mentally exhausting
Anyone with history knowledge wouldn’t have answered like that
This is why I don’t give a damn what a snot nosed punk kid says. You’re already practicing the liberal tactic of moving the goalposts and ignoring your own words. I don’t know what you think “exploding” and “rage baited” really means, but trust me when I say that you really don’t want to see me “explode” in person. Let’s keep the hyperbole to a minimum, or is telling the truth too difficult for you? Or I can just keep laughing at how smug you are and how secure you are in your anonymity. On that note, I hope you use a VPN.
YOU brought up predatory behavior. Not me, kid. I was only pointing out your own creepy nonsense. Hinting at knowing her address isn’t predatory and creepy? You’re not thinking this through, I can guarantee you that. At the very least, your actions are somewhat harassing. Sorry kid. Thems the breaks. And over a post about confusing parking signs. Pathetic.
What a threat lol. Sorry Diane if I made you upset or uncomfortable, I’ll stop. I haven’t used a VPN ngl, so if you show up where I live, it ain’t gonna go pretty for you. (Omg that sounded so weird) I’m not trying to be predatory, I made a small joke, and if you’re laughing, cool have at it!
You are so adorable.
thanks I guess 🫶
I say let’s keep the hyperbole to a minimum, and you immediately get even more hyperbolic. You are a pathetic loser with an ego the size of Texas. Get over yourself.
Child, all kids think they are brilliant
why are you still replying? No one cares, you don’t need to be an attention seeker.
Children should learn their place. Snot nosed punk troll. Moron high school student with nothing better to do than to stalk older women because you don’t like their speech. You’re a loser, you pathetic creep. Didn’t we have this exact conversation before? And you got clowned then too. Why don’t you like freedom of speech?
Make me stop replying, punk. I dare you. Sonny Garcia thought he could get me to be quiet with threats, and I clowned his dumb a** too. Your mouth appears to be the same size as your ego, but somewhere between them your brain gets left out of the equation. Get over yourself, kid.
@2027, still riding in the back of the soccer mom mini-van, not a care in the world ‘cept being a snot nosed brat huh?
naw, I’m chilling in my psychology classroom responding to people that are trying to insult a high school student 😂. FYI, I passed this class, the teacher is giving us a chill day. I have many cares in the world, just not much about parking signs 🙏
These signs are confusing because there are so many overlapping rules, but there’s no conflict.
Is this a snow day? (iirc within 24 hrs after a 2 in snow) If yes, no parking.
Is it 3-5am Sun, Tue, Thur? If yes, no parking.
Otherwise, feel free to park here.
But will your car be here between 7am and 6pm Mon-Sat? Make sure you aren’t here more than 2 hours straight in that time period.
So in theory you can park 5am Sun to 9am Mon, 28 hours straight, with no worries.
Except it also says no parking this side of street
‘This Side of Street’ is part of the snow restriction.
I think of it as, its no parking after that sign, and the rules of the green sign takes over for the area the red sign isn’t there. Still very weird.
You gotta love it Diane.
Let me understand what I read there is an issue with your news reporting with you not actually living in Bloomington Normal but the same person brings up the name mamdani who has nothing to do with Bloomington Normal.
Maybe that person can move to New York and then send us a comment about how wonderful his life is under that mayor!
All I can say my two sons that graduated from normal high many years ago saw where Illinois along with B/N was headed and they got the heck out of town and Illinois and both have great careers where they now live and thank goodness the teachers here at that time did not politicize their minds!
Just because I can read and understand different political figures’ agendas, does NOT mean that my teachers are encouraging it and giving their opinions. Most of the time, I bring up the topic and they respond with very neutral and honest statements. In my opinion, they have not been political with me. All I’m doing is comparing, NYC is too pricy for me, and I have my family here.
Your comments show you don’t understand
Ok 👍
Anyone can pass an NCHS class in todays world little fella. Just the same congrats on your participation trophy. I guess now you’ll chill out and have your ice cream cone.
No chilling out for this snot nosed punk. He’s moving on to denying freedom of speech and stalking older women during school hours while he’s supposed to be studying. Can’t get any more pathetic than a misogynistic loser.
Just a kid that let participation trophies go to his head.
Can’t read English? Move out of the United States. The signs are clear. Learn English, Dianne.
I just pull up and park on the sidewalk and hit the flashers when I need to go in Government Center. Parked right next to the Abe Lincoln bench at the History Museum for hours while I did the farmers market last weekend and nobody said a thing ! I pretty much do whatever I want as practically nothing is detainable under the Safe-T Act anyway.